An Unforseen Encounter
by pitchpearlgirl
Summary: Later, but not too late. A meeting.


"You sure this is okay, man?" Mark asked over the din of traffic. A horn honked, and there was a shuffling sound over the phone as Mark rolled up his window to hear. The noises were cut off.

Bobby sighed. "You keep asking this. Dude. We've been best friends for over twenty years. Taking your kid to therapy one time for you is nothing. I'm happy to help, and you know it."

"I know, I know, it's just that Mom's always talking about how family comes first and I feel bad 'cause-"

"I'm gonna stop you right there," Bobby interrupted. "Ignore what your mom says for one moment and listen. This is a big interview. This is a big job. If you get this job, not only will it give you a bigger position in the engineering community, it will give you a bigger paycheck. Courtney can then drop her second job to focus more on her extremely promising professional volleyball coaching career. Then you two will become rich and famous in your respective careers and I can live in the basement of your mansion and drink fancy wine and we can all watch shitty movies 'till we're in our sixties."

Mark started laughing, which brought a smile to Bobby's face. "So basically, fuck what your mom says," he concluded. "I'll take Teddie to all his therapist visits if I have to, if it means you get this job. Now go to that interview and go wild, Dimond."

"Thanks, man. I really needed that." Bobby could hear the gratitude in his friend's voice as he bid goodbye.

He cut the call and looked to the backseat of his car, where the youngest of the Dimond kids was chewing on his rubber pendant. "You ready, Teddie?"

The seven-year-old giggled at the rhyme and unbuckled his seatbelt. "Ready Uncle Bibs!"

Bobby pocketed his car keys as the kid ran ahead to pull open the door to the offices. The receptionist behind the counter smiled at Teddie as he bounded in.

"Hey little man. You ready for another day with Miss Mary?" she asked, pressing a button to let the therapist know her patient was here.

"Yeah! Yeah!" Teddie grabbed Bobby's hand and pulled him towards the hallway. "C'mon Uncle Bibs! You gotta meet her! You gotta meet her!"

Bobby laughed as he was dragged down the hallway. The receptionist nodded at him with a smile and went back to her computer. Bobby shook his head fondly and followed his godson as he skipped along.

One of the doors was open, inviting them in. Teddie ran right inside with a screech of "Miss Mary! Miss Mary!" Bobby stumbled as the carpet suddenly changed, the thicker fibers pulling on his shoes and sucking them down. He let go of Teddie's hand to steady himself. When he looked back up and saw the therapist's face, he stopped short.

Wild orange hair piled on top of her head in a messy bun, loose strands framing her dark, round face. Oversized glasses perched precariously on her nose. In her hands was a clipboard covered in faded stickers, the sleeves of a blue patterned sweater threatening to swallow them whole. Brown hiking boots sat next to her desk, her colorful socked feet tucked under her as she sat in her chair. The only jewelry she wore was a silver bird skull necklace.

As Bobby met her dark green eyes, they softened into something familiar.

"Hello, Bobby."

Teddie had already run around to the other side of her desk, where a wooden cabinet sat open. He started rummaging through the boxes of tea that were in there, looking for something. The therapist paid him no mind, as if this were a regular occurrence. Instead she smiled fondly at Bobby, as if remembering something.

"Er..." Bobby hesitated. "Do I... know you?"

She shook her head, almost sadly. "Not exactly. It's... complicated." She set her clipboard aside and went to help Teddie set up an electric kettle he'd pulled out of the cupboard. Her movements were familiar to him, as if he'd seen them before. But he couldn't remember.

"What's your name?" he found himself asking. "I didn't catch it earlier."

The therapist sat the kettle down slowly. She was silent a moment, thinking. Coming to a decision. She looked up and took a step towards Bobby.

She clasped his hand. "Dr. Mary Joy. It was a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Pendragon, but I need to attend to my patient now. Thank you for bringing Teddie by, and tell Mark I said hi, would you?"

Teddie hugged his godfather briefly before pushing him towards the door. "We'll be done in exacly forty-seven minutes so go get some food or somethin' and bring me back some when you come get me _pleeeaaase!"_

Bobby nodded mutely as the boy closed the door behind him. He wandered back into the lobby, towards the exit. The receptionist nodded at him again as he left, giving a knowing smile. He waved goodbye at her distractedly.

As he sat in his car, ready to leave, a memory started to surface. Glowing blue eyes, a scowl covering layers of affection. He couldn't remember anything else- a face, a name. Nothing. He searched his mind, getting more and more frustrated.

The crowing of a raven interrupted his thoughts. He cursed as the memory slipped away, leaving nothing in its wake.

Bobby shook his head as he started up his car.

By the time he returned to pick Teddie up, any thoughts on the unexpected meeting were gone. He didn't think of the mysterious therapist again for a long time.

* * *

Dr. Joy has many secrets. Not even those who know all know hers.


End file.
